The Empower is Trades of Hope's annual Compassionate Entrepreneur (CE) conference. Over 400 women gathered! Compassionate Entrepreneurs were able to meet artisans leaders Mushtaq and Kanwel and hear from Founders Holly, Gretchen, Elisabeth and Chelsie. This event was by far our biggest and best event yet.

Friday was filled with great training sessions, surprises and dancing! Our Compassionate Entrepreneurs also got a first look at the NEW Fall 2017 Line with fashion show.

Founder Gretchen

Founder Holly

Founder Chelsie

Our training sessions include fun brain breaks of dancing!

Founder Chelsie with Home Team

Friday night was filled with inspirational speeches and the release of the Fall 2017 Line! Founder Gretchen kicked off the night with a powerful story of why she personally felt called to start Trades of Hope.

​Founder Chelsie spoke about her visit to meet our artisans in Thailand. She shared how life-changing each CE's work is in Thailand and how your purchases are truly helping so many women in Thailand achieve their dreams!

Founder Gretchen

Founder Chelsie

Founders Gretchen, Chelsie, Elisabeth and Holly

The Fall 2017 Line was revealed by Founder Elisabeth and we ended the night with a fun fashion show featuring all the Directors at Trades of Hope! After the fashion show, every CE received their FREE fall products and catalog. ​

Founder Elisabeth

Fashion Show

Fashion Show

Fashion Show

Giveaway Goodies!

Saturday was the second day of training and even more exciting announcements were made! Founder Elisabeth and Founder Holly shared awesome training tips to the Compassionate Entrepreneurs so they can continue to grow their business.

​Founder Elisabeth spoke on the power of women. She shared about how focusing on empowering women truly unlocks the world's potential! It was a powerful and challenging talk!

Founder Elisabeth

Founder Holly shared about her trip to Asia and her experience. In rural Asia where many women earn little more than a dollar a day, women often fall prey to sex trafficking while trying to support their families. This is why we have decided to bring on a NEW artisan group from Asia. This group creates the May Lee Necklace which is available in the marketplace.

​This artisan group is changing lives by rescuing women out of the brothels in Asia and providing them with healthy work and rehabilitation in a supportive environment. They are given holistic care which gives each woman the opportunity for vocational training, healthcare, shelter, counseling, as well as education grants for the women and their children. Through their community outreach programs, they have provided a path for hope and restoration that empowers these women towards a joyful future. ​

Founder Holly

Mushtaq and Kanwel

Artisan leaders Mushtaq and Kanwel gave an update about the artisan group in Pakistan. They shared about the lives you are continuing to change in Pakistan and how your hard work has provided hope for so many women.

Mushatq and Kanwel started a training center in 2005 helping women living in an extremely oppressed area of Pakistan. In this region, women often become sold as bond slaves for generations due to lack of economic opportunity. Education and work opportunities are very limited for women in this country, due to their lives being largely marginalized because of their gender. Not only is this artisan group committed to freeing women from bondage, but also to provide training so that they may be self-reliant and realize their dignity and worth. The training these women receive includes reading, writing, sewing and new skills that are changing their lives. Supporting this group will empower these Pakistani women and the generations to come and provide a new sense of hope and purpose!

Cassidy Wehde sang a powerful song titled "Stepping Out" to connect there's a reason to step out and to have courage.

The end of this fabulous event wouldn't be complete until we had a huge dance party! Empower is more then an event. Its purpose is to encourage, challenge and help you have so much fun with your world-changing sisters while you continue to empower women out of poverty. ​​​

Learn more about launching your own purposeful business as a Compassionate Entrepreneurs by clicking here.

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About Us:

Trades of Hope empowers women out of poverty around the world while creating entrepreneurial opportunities for the modern American woman by selling ethically produced fashion accessories and home decor.